New PAL releases roundup

COD5, Mirror's Edge, Wii Music...

News by Robert Purchese Associate Editor

Updated on 14 Nov 2008

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, both on shelves and in our office, where promotional copies of games are beginning to pile high. And there are little elf people wrapping up presents and a hairy person looking after them all. This is quite normal we assure you, as are publishers waiting all year for this run of Fridays in which to launch their biggest titles. So let's tackle the big boys first. That's what she said. Sorry.

Where better to start than with Call of Duty: World at War, the bookie's and our pick for the Christmas UK chart top-spot. Treyarch will be looking to emulate the incredible success of Infinity Ward's previous instalment, both critically and financially. And initial feedback suggests the former is most definitely there. Expect our full thoughts on World at War tomorrow. This is not to be confused with telly documentary The World at War, which we drifted off too in many history lessons.

Watch out! There's Mirror's Edge jumping around with with a red paint brush. Must be causing a scene to get some notice for launch tomorrow. Not that we haven't noticed so far; Mirror's Edge was voted for by you as game of the Eurogamer Expo. Head to our Mirror's Edge review to see if Battlefield developer DICE's new strategy has worked. Next, on to Wii Music, a game Nintendo would have liked to turn heads. And our verdict: 5/10 average - must try harder.

Moving along and there are plenty of other high profile releases, such as Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Scene It? Box Office Smash, Shaun White Snowboarding, Football Manager 2009, plus SingStar Vol. 3 and SingStar ABBA. Gimme Gimme Gimme!.

Other releases not to be skipped over are TrackMania DS, Red Alert 3 on Xbox 360 and Alone in the Dark on PS3. We'd suggest My Health Coach: Stop Smoking with Allen Carr, too - because this sounds ridiculous. Incidentally, WSC Real 08 - World Championship Snooker on Wii has a snooker cue peripheral. And how nifty is that?

Oh, and the Guitar Hero World Tour instrument bundles are available from tomorrow.

Oh, oh, and World of Warcraft: The Wrath of the Lich King launches today, and The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria turns up on Friday.